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Weird New Experience

Can’t believe what just happened to me. Thought I might blog about it. If people ask me who I am, I say I’m a mystic. I’m literally the only person I know who introduces himself as a mystic. Well, I say something like, “I call myself a mystic,” in a kind of friendly way that helps people realize I understand how strange that is.

So when I see this new local meetup.com group called Philadelphia Mystical Awareness Group, linked here: http://www.meetup.com/Philadelphia-Mystical-Awareness-Group/, Iwas pleasantly surprised. Hey, a meetup group for mystics like myself, I thought. I’m going to copy the text directly from the website, to convey its tone:

Do you communicate directly with Spirit? Are you looking for a community to support your path and where you can truly be yourself? Look no further, you found your circle!

This is a group for like-minded people to gather and support one another in their spiritual/mystical awakening. We are a group for those who have developed a heightened sense of awareness of what exists beyond the 3D physical reality. This is not a group for those just beginning to develop their sensitive, intuitive abilities. One could call it a urban retreat for mystics. We will share our experiences in a safe, friendly, environment. We can also explore effective tools to enhance awareness such as astrology, dream interpretation, and mindfulness. We will build community and have fun in the process. Future meetups will include group discussions, lectures, social outings, and classes.

I am creating this group because it is something I wish was available when I first discovered my gifts. There was no structure in place and I just learned on my own until teachers appeared much later on. As more and more people begin waking up, I feel called to give back and share what I have learned with others. Together we will create an oasis that is warm and inviting and inspirational.

So I happily sign up, thinking I’ll get to share my experiences in a “safe, friendly environment”… until I get to the sign-up questions.

On a lot of meetups, they want you to fill out a little questionnaire they have for you. I guess it’s a vetting process. It certainly was in this case.

Second question: When did you first start communicating with Spirit? My answer: “I don’t call it Spirit, but I had my white light, rebirth experience in 1997 at the age of 20.”

Third question: Are you currently diagnosed with a mental illness, such as Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Depression, etc.? My answer: “Yeah, why?”

Fourth question: If your answer to the 3rd question was Yes, are you currently being treated? My answer: “No. Why?”

I was pretty surprised at the last two questions. It reminds me that not everybody has such a low opinion of the mental health system as I do. To this day, I am still angry that the mental health system failed me so utterly as it did. In a way, it didn’t fail me, though, because it allowed me to get on Social Security for mental illness, which I now use to keep myself off the streets. But they did in fact fail me in that I never experienced any genuine ability on the part of the people who were supposed to know what to do with me. No ability to treat mental health problems at all. To this day I bear that cross, because I have to dig myself out of that hole alone.

I suppose that explains my disappointment when my membership to the meetup group was denied. Just like that, I know this group is not for me. It’s obviously only for mystics who don’t have mental health problems. But I’m wondering to myself, how many mystics don’t have mental health problems? Like, negative 2? I mean, why would you self-proclaim being a mystic if you didn’t ever have mental health problems?

I’m a mystic because I was cured by my mystical experience. I’m just shocked that this possibility never crossed the group leader’s mind, that a person stops needing treatment precisely when they see the mystical light. I might be reading too much into why my membership was rejected, of course, but I guess I’m just shocked by the shallowness of the criteria for a group which would seem to be so far beyond what I think the mental health system is designed for.

My current conclusions about the mental health system are that mystical experiences just aren’t on their radar. My original mistake with them, if you can call it a mistake at all, was that I was too innocent to realize that they were completely incompetent to deal with people like me. Unfortunately, I clearly just made the same mistake with the “Philadelphia Mystical Awareness Group”.

Just goes to show you, appearances mean nothing… literally, they mean nothing!

Alright, I admit it, I’m a little traumatized by this experience. Not like I really need more meetup groups to go to. Just didn’t realize the stigma of mental illness would be so strong in a “mystical awareness group.”

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2 thoughts on “Weird New Experience”

Hi Zach, really appreciate reading about your experience with Meet Up group for Mystics and how sorely let down you were by them. I would like to recommend a website called What On Earth Is Happening (whatonearthishappening.com ) which I stumbled upon in YouTube while listening to one of Carl Jung videos. It helps me when I feel down or unsure about the outcome of life to seek solace among the Wise and for me it’s being in the company of like minded people like Jung. I think you are going find many answers for yourself of why you identify as a mystic. The only difference between you and me I assume is I am spiritual not mystical but am learning we all are a part of a mystical connection through the Natural Law. So please check out this website itis very informative and has been an inspirational for one such as myself so I’m sure you too will fit in perfectly with them. I’m not bipolar but had checked it off by mistake as I was thinking of my daughter who is about your age and only recently has started therapy with a psychiatrist and a psychologist both once a week. She’s been bi polar practically her whole life and like yourself was either forgotten about or ignored by society. As her mom I didn’t see the connection. Right now she is trying to qualify for SSI benefits and I was wondering if it does not put you off your comfort level to share how you qualified for these benefits so I can tell her. We’ve completed the stage of motion evaluation with a physcian and were told it could take as many as 46 weeks for a determination notice. Thanks again and keep saving squirrels or any other stray animals whose path you happen to stumble upon.

Getting benefits for me was easy because I committed a (minor, nonviolent) crime, refused bail, and spent time in the state mental hospital. I’m not sure your daughter wants to go in that direction, but I think criminal insanity is a pretty fast way to get on disability.

Please also check out our new podcast, The Ethan and Zach Trio (just google it). We just recorded an episode on mental illness which will be appearing next week. Maybe you’ll like it. We talk about the mental health system, among other things.